What is the meaning of Psalm 69:12?

Those who sit at the gate mock me

“Those who sit at the gate mock me” (Psalm 69:12a) paints a vivid scene:

• The city gate was the hub of civic life—elders rendered judgments there (Ruth 4:1; Proverbs 31:23).

• When even these respected leaders ridicule the psalmist, the rejection is public and humiliating.

• The verse echoes earlier laments: “All who see me mock me” (Psalm 22:7) and foreshadows Christ before the Sanhedrin and Pilate (Matthew 26:67–68; John 19:4-6).

• The scorn is unjust; the psalmist has stood for righteousness (Psalm 69:9), yet trusted voices belittle him.

• Believers today may face similar disdain from influential circles, reminding us that popular opinion often resists godly conviction (2 Timothy 3:12).

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and I am the song of drunkards

“and I am the song of drunkards” (Psalm 69:12b) adds another layer:

• Mockery spreads from the elite at the gate to the revelers in taverns—every stratum joins in.

• “I have become their byword” (Job 30:9) and “I have become a laughingstock… they mock me in song all day long” (Lamentations 3:14) show this is a familiar tactic against God’s servants.

• Drunkards’ songs are loud, crude, and careless; they twist truth into derision (Proverbs 23:29-30).

• The verse anticipates Christ’s abuse by soldiers who dressed Him in purple and struck Him while jeering (Mark 15:17-20).

• For believers, it warns that faithfulness may invite ridicule from both the powerful and the profane (1 Peter 4:4-5), yet God hears and vindicates (Psalm 69:33).

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summary

Psalm 69:12 reveals total societal rejection—from civic leaders at the gate to rowdy drunkards in the streets—yet the psalmist clings to God. The verse underscores that standing for righteousness can draw contempt from every quarter, a reality fulfilled supremely in Jesus. When ridicule comes, we remember that God sees, records, and ultimately honors those who remain faithful.